Furrow-opening machine.



Nu. 642,273. Pamnm 1an. 3o, |900. n. E. WHITE.

FURRUW OPENING MACHINE.

(Application filed Feb. 7, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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Patented lan. 307 |900.

D. E. WHITE.

FURRDW OPENING MACHINE.

(Application filed Feb. 7, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Wgzsses 55 www x M lUrTn STATES DAVID E. IVIIITE, OF I/VINCI'IESTER, KANSAS.

FURROW-OPENING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,273, dated January 30, 1900.

Application filed February 7,1899. Serial No. 704,831. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom 'llt may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID E. VHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vinchester, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Furrow-Opening Machine, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to a furrow-opening machine to be used in corn-growing districts for making furrows in the ground before a corn-planter is drawn across the field to plant the corn in the furrows opened by the machine of my invention, whereby the corn may be planted at a considerable depth in the furrows, to the end that the roots of the growing plants may extend down into the ground a considerable distance, so as to be kept in a moist condition and to be protected from droughts and to enable weeds to be eradicated without injury to the roots, and the plants are bedded so firmly that they are not likely to he blown over.

The prime object of the invention is to provide a simple machine which is equipped with means for openin g parallelfurrows and which may he used on trashy ground without hindrance or obstruction from refuse or vegetable growths.

A further object of the invention is to provide means adapted to throw the furrow-opening disks out of operative position in moving the machine to or from afield and to provide means by which the disks may be held firmly in their adj usted operative positions.

IWith these ends in view the invention consists in the novel combination of elements and in the construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed,

To enable others to understand the invention, I have illustrated the preferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciication, and in which-- Figure l is a plan view of a furrow-opening machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional elevation on the plane indicated by the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detailed perspective view of one of the gangs of disks. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through one of the adj Listing-heads and on the plane indicated by dotted line 5 5, Fig. 2. i

The same numerals of reference are used in all the figures in the designation of identical parts.

In carrying my invention into practice I employ a carrying-frame 10, which may consist of suitable cross and side rails joined firmly together. The axle 11 is supported on this carrying-frame to receive the wheels 12, and the draft-tongue 13 is joined firmly to the carrying-frame at the middle thereof.

The standards 14 are secured to 'the side rails of the frame 10 in any suitable way, and said standards support the drivers seat 15.

For supporting the two pairs or gangs of furrow-opening disks I employ the bars 16 17, which are connected operatively with the frame 10 and are spaced apart a distance equivalent to the distance between the rows in which the corn is to be deposited by the operation of an ordinary type of corn-planter. Said bars are arranged in inclined positions to extend rearwardly and downwardly from the frame, and the connection of the bars to the frame is eilected, preferably, through the medium of the wheeled axle llmthat is to say, the upper front ends of the inclined bars are tted loosely on the axle, so as to turn readily thereon. It is evident, however, that these inclined bars may be attached pivotally tothe side rails of the frame 10; but this is an obvious expedient which I have not considered necessary to illustrate.

The pair of spaced inclined bars carry the two gangs of furrow-opening shovels, and the two gangs or pairs of shovels are thereby supported in proper operative position and at a required distance apart to open parallel furrows in the ground, said furrows being spaced a distance corresponding to the spacing of the dropping devices of the corn-planter.

I will now proceed to describe the construction of the means for supporting, adjusting, and arranging each pair or gang of furrowopening shovels, and as the devices on the bars 16 17 are similar a description of one of said devices will answer for the other.

Each bar 16 or 17 is constructed at its rear end with a head 1S, preferably in the form of a fiat plate united to the rear extremity of the IOO bar by a spacing-post 19, which is fast or in-l tegral with the bar and the head. The head is arranged above and parallel to the plane of the inclined bar, and the rear edge of this h ead is recessed or forked to provide the spaced ears 20 21. The angular brackets 22 23 are provided on each head 18, and said bracket-s are arranged for their horizontal members to lap against the ears of the head. The brackets are united pivotally adj ustably to the head by means of vertical bolts 24, which pass through the ears 2O 21 and the horizontal members of the angular brackets, and in order to firmly secure the brackets in their adjusted positions on the heads the opposing faces of the ears 'and the brackets are formed with interlocking ribs, (indicated at 25.) The bolts 24: may be loosened for the brackets to be adjusted laterally in order to free the interlocking ribs on the brackets and ears from engagement with each other, after which the brackets may be turned on the bolts to adjust the brackets relatively to each other. The bolts may now be tightened to draw the brackets toward the head and cause the ribs 25 to interlock, thus securing the brackets immovably in place on the head of the inclined bar.

The furrow-disks are supported by the hangers 26 27,'one of which is connected pivotally with each of the brackets by means of a horizontal bolt 28, which passes through the upper end of the hanger and the vertical member of the angular bracket. The hangers and the brackets are formed with interlock-.ing ribs 29 on their opposing faces, and said hangers are adapted to be adjusted toward or from each other on the bolts 28 when the latter are loosened; but by tightening the bolts the hangers are secured immovably in place on the brackets by the ribs 29 interlocking with each other.

It will be observed that the brackets are adjustable on the head and that the hangers are adjustable independently of each other on the brackets, such adjustment of the hangers beingindependent of any adj ustment of the brackets on the head. Each hanger is provided near its lower end with a transverse axle-opening 30 to receive the axle 31, which y is longitudinally adjustable and coniined in place by means of a clamping-screw 82, that finds a bearing in a threaded opening in the hanger and is adapted to bind against the axle. The axles, supported in the two hangers 26 27, project through the inner opposing edges of said hangers, and on these protruding ends of the axles are loosely mounted the revoluble disks 33 3-1, a pair of which is supported by the hangers and brackets on the head of each inclined bar. The brackets are adjusted on the heads to present the axles in reversely-inclined positions, and the revolu-l ble disks are mounted on the axles to assume reversely-in clined positions in which the front edges of the disks lie close together, thus making the disks diverge in a rearward direction. The disks are free to rotate on the axles, and when the machine is drawn across the eld each pair of disks operatesto press the dirt or soil outwardly in opposite directions, thereby opening a deep furrow in the ground.

It will be recalled that the inclined bars 16 17, carrying the two pairsof furrow-disks, are loosely supported on the frame or axle, and to adjust the furrow-disks and the bars out of operative position I employa connecting-rod 35, which may be a solid piece of metal or a tubular rod in the form of a gaspipe. transversely across the machine in rear of the carrying-frame, and its ends are attached or fastened in any suitable way to the inclined bars 16 17 or to the heads 18 thereon, the attachment of said rod not interfering with the adjustment of the brackets or hangers. An adjusting-lever 36 is fulcrumed at a point intermediate its length on the carrying-frame 10, as at 87, and the rear end of this lever is properly connected with the transverse rod 4or tube 35, while its front end is arranged Within convenient reach of the driver oecupying the seat 15.

` The machine of my invention is to be drawn across the field in advance of the corn-planter. In driving the machine to or from the Iield the operator should depress the front end of the lever 36, so as to raise the connecting rod or tube 35. The inclined bars 16 17 and the two pairs of furrow-shovels are supported on the inclined bars, thereby elevating the furrow-opening disks out of contact with the ground. Onarriving at the Iield the lever is released and the bars 16 17 are lowered for the disks to enter the ground, which should be previously prepared. The two pairs of disks, the members of which are inclined reversely to each other, penetrate the ground a suitable distance, according to the adjustment of the lever, and the penetration of these disks into the ground is at points equivalent to the vdistance between the corn-dropping devices of the planting-machine. As my machine is drawn across the field the disks are rotated on their axles, and they press the' soil outwardly in opposite directions to open a deep furrowin the ground. The operation of opening the parallel furrows is followed by the corn-planting operation of the ordinary machine, and this'machine is driven to cause its dropping devices to deposit the corn into the furrows opened by my machine. The angular brackets are clamped t0 the head 18 to assume 'positions inclined reversely to the longitudinal axis of the inclined bar, and the distance between the shovels may be regulated either by adjusting the brackets on the head or by adjusting the hangers on the brackets. The hangers may readily be detached from the brackets to provide for the removal of worn disks, and said hangers may be adjusted independently of the brackets to compen- The parts are sate for wear on the disks.

This connecting rod or tube extends reo easily accessible for adjustment, and they are secured firmly and immovably in their proper Working positions.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

What I claim isl. A furrow-opening machine consisting of a frame, inclined bars connected thereto and each provided With a forked head at its rear end, a pair of angular brackets adjustably fastened to each head, a pair of hangers angularly adjustable With relation to a Vertical plane fastened to the brackets and carrying the axles, and inclined disks mounted on said axles, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. A furrow-opening machine consisting of a frame, inclined bars connected thereto and each provided with a forked head', a pair of angularly-adjustable hangers connected to each head and provided with the reverselyinclined longitudinally-adj ustable axles, and a pair of oppositely-inclined disks mounted on the axles of each head, substantially as described.

3. In a furrow-opening machine, the combination with suitable supporting means pro vided With a head, of oppositely-projecting angular brackets clamped adjustably to said head, axle-carrying hangers supported by the brackets and angularly adjustable with respect to a horizontal plane, and reversely-inclined disks supported loosely by the axles, substantially as described.

4. In a furrow-opening machine, the combination with a supporting-head, of brackets fastened adjustably to said head, hangers adjustably fastened to the brackets and provided With the reversely-inclined axles, and revoluble disks mounted loosely on the axles, the hangers being adjustable on the brackets independently of any adjustment of the brackets upon the head, and the angles of the axles being thereby adjustable with relation both to a vertical and horizontal plane, sub# stantially as described.

5. In a furrow-opening machine, the coinbination with a supporting-head, of angular brackets having pivotal and interlocking engagement with said head and fastened adjustably thereto for movement relatively to each other, hangers fastened adj ustably to and having pivotal and interlocking engage* ment With the angular brackets, and inclined disks mounted loosely on the hangers for adj ustment therewith, the pivotal connection between the head and brackets being at right angles to the pivotal connection between the brackets and hangers, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DAVID E. WHITE.

Witnesses:

ISAAC MILLER, W. A. FRENCH. 

